Sat Mar 14, 1pm, Room 120:

“URBAN CONSTRUCTS”.

On Saturday, March 14th, 2015, the Rensselaer Positions Series will host “Urban Constructs,” with guest speakers Karli Molter and Sören Grünert . The presentation will be followed by a round-table discussion on the future of urban living.

“Urban Constructs” poses the following:

The 21st century marked the first time in which the majority of the world’s population now lives in cities. By 2050, it has been estimated that over 70% of humanity will reside in urban territories. How can and will we live in the future? The rapid migration to urban areas (almost all in developing countries) poses great obstacles and opportunities for the future cities and urban living. Inadequate infrastructure, planning, and a current inability to house the projected new urban dwellers are among the many recurring challenges cities face. In principle, cities yield more advantageous settings for the resolution of social, environmental, and health matters than rural and suburban areas. In what ways can architects and urbanists introduce productive interventions in order to advance focused possibilities for how we might live? What are the imperatives in thinking of the future of urban living?

About the Participants

Karli Molter is a designer at Snøhetta’s New York City office. Prior to joining Snøhetta, Molter gained experience at SCAPE Studio in New York City, Topotek1 in Berlin, Philadelphia-based Onion Flats, and at RPI SoA alumni Steven Ehrlich’s firm, Steven Ehrlich Architects, in Culver City. Her presentation will focus on urban interventions and developments along infrastructure within a landscape framework. Molter received her Bachelor of Architecture (Architecture and Landscape Architecture) from Ball State University and her Masters of Architecture/Masters of Landscape Architecture at the University of Pennsylvanian.

Sören Grünert is an associate architect at BIG | Bjarke Ingels Group in New York City where he serves as project architect for the firm’s West 57th residential building in Manhattan, New York. Prior to his arrival at BIG IN 2010, Sören worked Berlin on a range of architectural and research projects, served as project architect at GMP Architekten Beijing office and NL Architects in Amsterdam where he managed a wide range of international projects. Grünert received his Diploma of Engineering in Architecture from the Delft University of Technology.

//